Unlike popular belief, the medical prescription your Doctor issues you aren’t just a piece of paper for the chemists’ acknowledgement. It has useful, important, and life-saving instructions which need to be followed carefully for the best treatment.
In fact, being careless with the information provided on the prescription can lead to worsening of the situation. So, here is some vital information and things you must be careful about, with your prescription:
- The number of Medicines: Your Doctor or Chemist, or both, will surely guide you about the dose of medication to be taken. If there are too many or enough not to remember at once, learn the signs that indicate the dose. While taking the medicines, it’s best to cross-check with the signs on the prescription to ensure proper intake of the medicines.
- Time of Medication: Two times a day doesn’t normally means any time of the day. If medicine is advised for after breakfast and dinner, maintain the time. There are rare cases in which missed doses can be replenished with a double dose of the medicine. But that’s very rare and you must consult your Doctor and not decide it by yourself. It can be harmful and even life-threatening.
- Duration of Medication: Don’t stop your medicines just because you feel well already. Continue your medication until the time advised to ensure that symptoms do not show up again. The course of the medicines must be completed for best results.
- Scheduled re-checks: When your Doctor advises a re-check after a certain number of days, you must show up. Even if you are well, there might be something which the Doctor doubts and wants to clear up after the medication. So, ensure you show up.
- While consulting another Doctor: If you decide on consulting another Doctor for the same problem, take your prescription along so that they can know which medicines you have been taking till now.